A/N: Oda owns everything. Mangakas are the biggest trolls on the face of this earth. I fell in love with Ace, and then he killed him off. I know why he did, but I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to give Ace a little love, and continue to Gol D. Roger's line :) Hope you like it!

She watched the video screen linked to the den den mushi at Sabaody Archipelago. Standing in the back of the crowd, she stared intently at the condemned man, Portgas D. Ace.

Ignoring the chatter around her, it was as if she was in a nightmare and couldn't wake up. Admiral Sengoku had just stepped onto the execution scaffold and revealed a shocking secret: Ace was the son of Gol D. Roger. She knew that already, but that the only man he would ever refer to as father was Whitebeard.

Her lips trembled; she was more afraid than when she thought she was going to be sold into slavery. Ace looked so helpless. This man invincible man, her savior appeared so haggard.

The marines were supposed to stand for justice, but they were anything but just. What had they done to him? How dare they execute a man just for such symbolism? It wasn't his fault that his progenitor was the infamous pirate king. Did they think they could end the pirate era with his death? Was a life that insignificant? He didn't even want to be king of the pirates!

For all his idol worship of Whitebeard, she hoped that he would save the man she loved. Her eyes never left the screen. Her hands touched her belly instinctively. She wanted her child to know his father; she wanted him to be around, to show their baby the world. It had been a month since she saw him. When she found out she was pregnant, he had already been captured.

Her heart leapt as she saw Whitebeard's ships emerged from the ocean. He'll be saved! Whitebeard will definitely save him. Hope came in the form of the strength of Whitebeard. She heard people around her muttered about the beginning of the war. The young woman didn't care about any war, just the life of the man she wanted to be with forever.

She buried her hands in her head as she watched his companions one after the other fall trying to save him. The pain on his face as he could do nothing was more than she could bear.

A loud crash caused her to look up, only to see a marine ship falling from the sky. It was Ace's little brother; he had told her countless stories about him when they were together. There was always a fond smile that he wore when he talked about Luffy. The rubberman lunged forward at his enemies, determined to get to his brother. Another revelation was made; Luffy was the revolutionary Dragon's son. She didn't care about that either, she only cared about Ace being safe, about how he would be rescued.

There was no time to be impressed with Luffy as she heard people around her discuss that the timetable for the execution was thrown out the window. Those damned marines couldn't even keep their word! It seemed that there was some new human weapons she heard being called pacifistas arrive. They seemed indestructible. Just then, the connection with the transponder den den mushis was cut, save one. It seemed useless because the den den mushi was commandeered by Buggy the Clown. Ace had told her about him, but it didn't seem like Buggy was there to save him. There was a hush in the crowd before crying out as one of Whitebeard's companions ran his sword through him. The woman held her breath. This can't be happening! From what Ace had told her, she didn't think that Whitebeard would sell out his comrades, like the man that stabbed him claimed. Suddenly, the one screen blanked.

She stood there as the onlookers were clamoring and hypothesizing about what happened. Whitebeard sold out his allies? Hmph. The woman knew that wasn't the case. The video feed cutting off just meant that the marines were going to do something they didn't want to world to know. History is written by the victors after all.

She looked up onto the roof and saw very familiar faces. Familiar in the sense that their wanted posters were plastered everywhere. They didn't seem to be buying into the Navy's explanation.

Blocking out the speculation and fury of the crowd due to the uncertainty that lay ahead, the woman focused on Ace. There was nothing she could do. Her eyes dull, her body limp, she waited like a statue to hear some news of what was going on. She couldn't steel her heart to prepare for the worst and it hurt to hope for the best. I can't do anything. Ace is suffering, and I can't even share his pain. Ace…

"Ann!" The door to a small cottage flung open. "Are you home?"

Immediately footsteps could be heard running down the stairs and into the arms of the man who entered.

"Ace!" She hugged him tightly. "You're back!"

"I said I'd be back in about two months, didn't I?" With little effort, the tall young man picked up her and whisked her off to the kitchen. He set her down on the table, though she still had her legs intertwined around his waist.

"This isn't a dream! You're really here…" She took off his hat, letting it fall onto his back as she ran her fingers through his messy long black hair.

"Does that mean you've been dreaming of me often?" He jokes as his muscular arms snaked around her back.

"You wish!" she retorted haughtily before lifting her face up to his and kissing him deeply.

"I'll have to come around more often if this is how I'll get greeted," Ace gasped as the broke the kiss.

The young woman hopped off the table and walked over to the massive refrigerator nearby. She opened the door and started taking out pot after pot and pan after pan of food.

"I'm not bribing you or anything, but if you do come more often, I'll give you food," she cooed sweetly, as she set the table for him.

"I'm not going to die from eating this, am I?"

A swift slap to the back of the head caused him to retract his jab. "I've gotten better at cooking!"

The women watched Ace scarf down food like a man stranded in the desert seeing food for the first time. She beamed, pleased with herself.

"It's so good!" Ace managed to say in between stuffing his face and then falling asleep.

Clearing the table, she sat down across from him with a big grin on her face. She couldn't help smiling when she was with him. They used to be inseparable until he joined Whitebeard's crew. Now, she barely saw him. Ironically, it was when he left her behind that they became more than friends. She rested her head on the table and drifted off the sleep.

When she came to, she found herself in bed, with Fire Fist Ace gazing at her warmly.

"You're such a creeper," she murmured softly, cuddling up next to him.

Ace frowned. "Would a creeper bring you a present?" He produced a neatly wrapped present as the woman sat up.

"I don't want anything. Seeing you again is more than enough." She unwrapped the package to reveal a large spool of white satin ribbons. "Ribbons?"

"I saw them and they reminded me of you." His freckled cheeks reddened. "You know, the threads of fate and all of that."

"You know it's the red thread of fate," she corrected him, but quickly reassured him. "But it's wonderful, I love them! White is better because it's pure and untainted!"

Ace laughed. "I'm glad you like it."

The next day the two of them visited the beach. Walking along the shore, holding hands, they got caught up on what was happening in the other's life.

"So the old man is treating you well?" he half asked.

Ace was referring to the man that she was worked for. He met him saving slaves from a ship heading to the auction house. Since he seemed trustworthy, he left the girl in his care.

"Gramps is crazy as usual," she answered with a sigh. "His repair business is doing well, but he always slacks off to tinker with other things and then he disappears for days on end! He's so infuriating sometimes."

"I'm glad you're having fun."

"I guess I am. OH! I see your brother's been causing trouble again. His bounty's gone up."

"What am I going to do with him?" Ace exasperated.

"When am I going to meet him?"

"Never," he replied jokingly. "He'll steal you away from me. My little brother is always following in my footsteps."

The woman laughed. "So I'll have two attractive men fighting over me? I kinda hope to meet him soon!"

"See? You're already fawning over him! I'm not going to lose!"

"Let's head back." She pulled on his hand, leading him back to the cottage. "I have to do your laundry and sew up your clothes. I can't believe you destroyed them so quickly!"

Back at the house, Ace's head was resting on the young woman's lap as she was busy sewing up a rip in one of his pants. The breeze wafted through the back porch as his clothes were on the line drying. It was a perfect picture. The two seemed like a married couple enjoying a lazy afternoon.

"Ah! It's started raining!" The girl exclaimed as the rain came down. "Let's get your clothes before they get wet!"

In the end, they saved the clothes, but got completely wet. They were laughing at themselves rushing for the clothes as they entered the house.

"You're going to catch a cold!" She scolded him. "Off with your clothes and into the bath!"

"Yes ma'am!" He replied stripping down to his boxers before picking her up and carrying her to the bath. "But the same goes for you as well!"

She blushed as he set her down on the bathroom counter and started unbuttoning her blouse. Slipping off her jeans, he began to fumble undoing her bra. She giggled, this time making him blush as she reached behind and unclasped it herself.

"God, you're beautiful," he whispered as he ogled her getting into the bath.

"It's so embarrassing!" she exclaimed, her face completely red watching him stepped in as well.

She got over her embarrassment as she washed him. His body was all scratched up, making her worry. "You really need to stop getting hurt."

"Sorry," he apologized as she shampooed his hair. "Ack! It's getting in my eyes!"

"Quit being a baby! What would the crew say if they saw you right now?" She ran her hands over his toned body, making sure he was completely clean. There was little faith that he did a thorough job by himself. Pirates weren't really known for their hygiene.

"Is that before or after I beat them to a pulp for ogling you?"

She sighed as she bathed herself, satisfied that Ace was completely clean.

"Let me help you with that!" Ace eagerly exclaimed, clearly overly excited. He'd take any chance to hold her and he wasn't about to let this prime opportunity slip by.

She giggled at first as she wasn't used to his rough hands soaping her up. Giggling turned into silence occasionally broken by quiet moans as his hands wandered her body. She didn't want it to end. Being with him was made her feel like she was in heaven. Ace always made her feel safe.

Lifting her up from the bath, he found a towel on the rack that they shared to dry themselves. Ace laid her on the bed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him down for a kiss. Rarely coming up for air, the two never parted. Both experience unadulterated ecstasy through late into the night before falling asleep in each other's arms.

"Do you really have to leave so soon?" She handed him his bag and stretched to plop his hat on his head.

"Yeah, Blackbeard's on Banaro Island." He stood in front her by the dock, his one man boat floating in the water. "It's my one chance to end it."

"I know."

"Ann, do you think I should have been born? Does someone like me deserve life and happiness?"

"If you weren't born, I wouldn't be alive. It was you that saved me and you've brightened so many other lives. The Spade Pirates followed you because you touched their hearts. Whitebeard acknowledged you; you've kept many people safe because you are alive. You're my most important treasure. Life and death isn't my own to deal out, but your life is more precious to me than my own. I'd gladly give it up if it meant you'd be alive. I'm here and happy because you were born. I'm sure every one of your comrades feel the same as I do. No matter whose blood runs in your veins, that doesn't make you predisposed to anything. You're you, and I love you, Ace. " She spoke with intense feeling as she embraced him as if her life depended on it. The conviction in her voice was without match.

"I love you too, Ann." Ace hugged her tightly. "I don't deserve you, but I'm glad you're with me."

"Now stop making me cry and go before I change my mind and make you stay forever!" She brushed away her tears and put on a brave face.

"I'll be back as soon as I take care of Blackbeard and let Pops know. It shouldn't take too long."

She replied with a passionate kiss, like she always did when parting from him. It was in part to make sure he remembered her and but more so it was to engrave in her heart how he felt against her and the complete happiness and unbridled love that washed over her when she was in his arms. It was enough to make her heart burst from overwhelming bliss.

"Have a safe trip, Ace. I love you!" She bid him farewell.

"I will! I love you too!" He shouted as she watched his outline disappear into the horizon.